Strength in the Darkness
by Bananahgirl1
Summary: It is the summer before Harry Potter's fifth year at Hogwarts. Harry feels like he is being kept in the dark, and that he is being watched. He realizes that Dumbledore is not telling him everything, and decides that he will have to train himself. Some Dumbledore bashing! Powerful, smart Harry!
1. Chapter 1: The Dream

**Strength in the Darkness**

**Disclaimer: All these characters belong to the wonderful J.K. Rowling!**

**Authors Note: If I mess something up, just please let me know and I will change it!**

* * *

Chapter One: The Dream

Harry Potter stared out of the rain streaked car window. The Dursleys had made it very clear that he was not to intrude upon their conversation. Not that he'd want to in the first place he thought gloomily. This was going to be a long summer.

* * *

The moment they pulled up in front of Number 4 Privet Drive, Harry jumped out of the back and pulled his trunk out of the boot. He quickly dragged it up to his room, and then went down to make his relatives dinner.

After watching the Dursley's eat, and eating his own measly helping himself, Harry went up to his room and flopped down on the bed. He lay there just staring at the ceiling for a while, but his tiredness overwhelmed him, and he sunk into an uneasy sleep.

_He was staring down at the dead face of Cedric Diggory, the eyes were wide and glassy, and were staring at him accusingly. "It is your fault I am dead!" they seemed to scream at him. "You are weak and helpless, and will never survive a real battle."_

_"Please! No! Its not true! It can't be..."_

Harry awoke with a jolt. A bright beam of moonlight was streaming through his open window. He thought back to his dream about the graveyard, and about what Cedric's dream self had said to him, 'You are weak and helpless, and will never survive a real battle.'

It was true Harry thought to himself, you are pretty weak. He looked down at his skinny, half-starved body. Then he thought about all the times Dumbledore had left him here, surely _Dumbledore_ knew about his condition here. Couldn't he have moved Harry to a different place to live, train him, teach him how to win a real battle?

Harry resolved that he would not trust Dumbledore any more than the situation called for. After all, he was going to be fifteen soon, he should be more independent.

Harry decided that this summer, he would sneak out, get a job, get some better clothes, and train in as much muggle stuff that would help him. He would also go to Diagon Alley and pick up more advanced training books and books on other subjects. Yes, this summer, he would _not_ sit here, moping around and doing nothing. He would train to beat Voldemort.

**AN: So yeah! I will try to write like every other day just to get into the flow of the story, it will get longer and better! Don't worry! Please review and tell me how you like it! :)  
**


	2. Chapter 2: Looking through London

**Strength in the Darkness**

**A/N Okay people! Here is chapter two for you all! Sorry for the long wait! My muse kinda left me for a while, and I have been at camp for the past two weeks, so pretty much no time! I will try to update more often, but school is starting soon so I'm busy! This chapter will be longer for all of you awesome fans! Also, I am going to try writing this story in Harry's POV Tell me if this doesn't work out or if you just don't like it! Again I'm sorry for the long wait!**

* * *

Chapter 2: Looking Through London

_Harry's POV_

With a groan, I opened my eyes and glanced at my alarm clock. The glowing digital screen read 5:30 am on it. I sighed and slowly slid out of my bed to get ready for the day. By the time I went downstairs to the kitchen, it was about six o'clock. I looked in the refrigerator, and decided I would be a good nephew today, and threw some hash browns and bacon on the stove.

By the time Aunt Petunia came down, it was six thirty. She peered haughtily at the stove, and then pushed me out-of-the-way. She glared at me for not putting the eggs on, but I just smirked at her and ran up to my room to change into something that I could actually wear in public that wasn't a piece of Dudley's old crap... As it was, I didn't really have much to choose from when it came down to it.

After digging around in my closet for about half an hour, I ended up settling for a pair of worn jeans, a loose-fitting red t-shirt, and an old baseball cap of Dudley's to hide my scar. I stuck my wand in the back of my jeans, grabbed an enchanted feather-light money-bag, and a sweatshirt, and walked downstairs to tell Aunt Petunia that I was going out for the day. She glared at me as I walked toward the door, but called after me, 'Will you be home in time for dinner?' Pleasantly surprised, I answered,' Yes Aunt Petunia, if I'm not too much of a bother.' She just shook her head curtly in reply as I walked out the door.

* * *

It gave me a wonderful new sense of freedom while walking along the street without my relatives berating me and constantly hovering over me. I had some muggle money in my pocket, so I took a train to London, where I would walk to Diagon Alley.

After an uneventful train ride, I got off the train, and started wandering through the heart of London looking for the Leaky Cauldron. I got lost a few times, before finally wandering down the correct street, and seeing the dingy nondescript sign labeling the pub the Leaky Cauldron.

I walked inside, and waved to Tom, who was busy cleaning glasses at the bar. I walked through the mishmash of tables and chairs, and went into the little alley in back. I pulled my wand out of my jeans pocket, and tapped the third brick from the left of the trash can. As Diagon Alley appeared through the moving bricks, I couldn't help but stare around in awe... the sight of the bustling cobblestone alley would never cease to amaze me.

As I walked toward Gringotts, I couldn't help but marvel at the lengths that people would go to just to ignore Voldemort's return. Wanted posters had been plastered in all the shop windows with the faces of all the death eaters who got captured and imprisoned in the last war, and who had now recently escaped from Azkaban prison. It almost made me laugh at the sheer idiocy of the idea that Sirius had broken them out. My question for the people who believed this was, what would Sirius be planning to do with all the Death Eaters he broke out? It's not like they're all wanted, dangerous criminals, is it?... honestly sometimes people were too oblivious to the facts that are right in front of their faces, I thought to myself.

Gringotts was now in sight, and I quickened my pace, when all of a sudden, I caught sight of the person I was least expecting to see today...

* * *

**A/N: Oooh suspense! Who do you think it is? Well ****that's chapter 2 for you lot! I hope you enjoyed it, and I will point out that it was over 400 more words than the last chapter! Please review, and tell me how you like it from Harry's POV, or if you would like me to change it back! Chapter 3 should be up sometime next week, although if I get some reviews, I will try and get the next chapter up by Friday or Saturday! Review, review, review! :)**


	3. Chapter 3: A Key to the Past

**Strength in the Darkness**

**Disclaimer: All these characters belong to the wonderful JK Rowling!**

**A/N- Oh my gosh... I am soo sorry to all of you who have waited for the next chapter of this story... I will admit to you guys that I really gave up on this for a while, and every time I started this chapter, it was written at school during a boring class, and never got typed on my computer! Also, I dedicate this chapter to my bestie Veronica who nagged me to get back to this story! [What are best friends for? :)] And now without further ado, I give you.. Chapter Three! So anyway, enjoy!**

* * *

**_Chapter 3: A Key to the Past_**

_Gringotts was now in sight, and I quickened my pace, when all of a sudden, I caught sight of the person I was least expecting to see today.._

_Harry's POV_

I stared, frozen in shock, as I watched Albus Dumbledore serenely walking up the steps to Gringotts. All of a sudden, the reality of where I was hit me, and I realized that people would see me and would end up mentioning it to Dumbledore. That is, if he didn't see me first.

I cursed, and ducked into a side alley, as I narrowly missed being seen by the Headmaster's twinkling blue gaze as he turned around on the top step to slowly survey Diagon Alley below. Smiling, he turned around and stepped through the heavy gold doors of the bank.

I slumped back against the brick wall of the alley, and cursed my horrible luck... Of course, I should have realized that Diagon Alley would be crowded today, it was the first weekend of the holidays, and people would be anxious to get to their vaults so they could have money to do all their fun summer activities. I decided to blame it on the fates that seemed to have it out for me that Dumbledore chose this day to visit his vault.

Sighing in resignation, I decided to just try my (nonexistent) luck, and hope that Dumbledore would be in his vault by now. It was my only choice, as I didn't want to be waiting for an unknown amount of time for Dumbledore to leave the bank. And I had already spent all my pocket-money on the ticket for the underground to London. So the bank was my only choice.

Pulling my baseball cap farther down over my easily recognizable hair, I stepped out of the shadows of the alley, and made my way to the white marble steps of Gringotts. As I stepped into the teller hall, I looked around nervously for any sign of bright purple robes or a white beard. Sighing in relief, I squared my shoulders, and made my way to the nearest goblin teller.

As I approached the desk, I realized that the goblin working there was the one who had shown me to my vault in my first year. I racked my brains trying to remember his name. Griphook! That was his name! Clearing my throat politely, I stepped up and said, "Good morning Sir. I would like to take a trip to my vault."

Griphook looked up and said, "That seems to be in order, key and wand please."

I grabbed my wand out of my pocket, and scrounged around in my sweatshirt pocket for the key, and then handed both to Griphook. He examined the tiny golden key, and then pulled out what looked like a dictionary. I was surprised to see that it held descriptions of wands and who they belonged to. In awe, I watched as he flipped to a page marked Potter, and found my name. Then after he was satisfied with my wand, he handed it back to me.

Griphook then motioned toward a goblin who was standing by one of the many doors leading out of the hall, and the goblin walked over and introduced himself.

"Hello Mr. Potter, my name is Brickjaw, and I will be accompanying you to your vault today." The new goblin said jovially. He seemed in a very good mood for a goblin. All the others I had met were always cold and seemed very closed off.

He motioned for me to follow him, and we headed over to one of the tunnels. I got into the cart, and we took off through the labyrinth of twists and turns that led us deep into the depths of the bank. I relished in the freedom that I felt as we rocketed steeply downward, some people hated the carts, but I absolutely adored them.

After a little while, Brickjaw turned around and asked, "What vault would you like to visit today, Mr. Potter?"

I looked at him in confusion and said, "I'm not quite sure what you mean sir. You see, I only have one vault."

The goblin looked at me strangely and questioned, "Mr. Potter, you mean to tell me that you have never heard of or visited any of the Potter family's vaults?"

I looked at Brickjaw in awe, "You mean that there's more of them?"

Brickjaw looked at me in realization and instead of answering, said, "I'm not sure I should be the one to be telling you this Mr. Potter. Once we get back up to the surface, I will schedule you an appointment with Ragnok; our head goblin. For now we will just go to your trust vault, which is the vault you normally go to."

"That's fine sir. Thank you for telling me this, I would never have known otherwise." I replied.

We finally arrived at my vault, and Brickjaw inserted my key into what looked like a random piece of the wall. I stepped in and looked around at what, to me, seemed like a large fortune. I couldn't imagine that I had even more money in the depths of Gringotts in another vault somewhere. I quickly pulled a small bag out of my pocket, and filled it with gold galleons, silver sickles, and bronze knuts. Then I jumped back into the cart, and we made our way back to the surface.

When we got back to the top, I hopped out of the cart. As I turned around, my stomach plummeted as Dumbledore said, "Ah, Harry my boy..."

* * *

**Muhahaha! I am so evil! :) Not sure when the next chapter will be up next, but I will probably try for Friday the 22nd! Hope you enjoyed that chapter! I sure did! :) Especially the cliffy! I can practically feel your anguish! :) Well, until next time my dear readers!  
**

**Mischief Managed! ;)**


	4. Chapter 4: Trickiness and Trouble

**Strength in the Darkness**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Harry Potter... Let's just say my life would be a _little bit _different! ;)  
**

**A/N- Sorry I couldn't get this posted yesterday! I had some trouble with WIFI and writers block! Enjoy the chapter! :)  
**

* * *

**_Chapter 3: Trickiness and Trouble  
_**

_As I turned around, my stomach plummeted as Dumbledore said, "Ah, Harry my boy..."  
_

_Harry's POV_

"...what are you doing in Diagon Alley?"

My happy mood and excitement faded away instantly. I turned around, and at seeing the look on Dumbledore's face, my stomach turned to acid. The Headmaster was looking at me like he was scanning my soul, or reading my mind. His normally twinkling blue eyes were like frozen ice chips. I wasn't at all eager to continue this conversation.

I ignored Dumbledore and turned to Brickjaw, "If we could go schedule that now?"

I tried to make Brickjaw understand that I needed to get out of here as quick as possible. He seemed to understand my silent plea. He motioned for me to follow him.

* * *

Now, during that whole bit with Brickjaw, the Headmaster had been watching and listening. Let me paint you a picture of what his face looked like through my conversation. He started out with that angry look on his face, but when I said 'schedule that' his face turned into pure desperation- whatever Brickjaw was about to tell me, Dumbledore definitely did not want me to know.

* * *

Before I could follow Brickjaw out, Dumbledore grabbed my shoulder. He said in what he probably thought was a grandfatherly voice, "Ah, Harry, how about you schedule that meeting or whatever it was another time. I have something I would like to talk to you about."

Well I was definitely not going to let the Headmaster tell me what I could and couldn't do. I turned to face him. "I'm sorry Headmaster, I have already made arrangements with Brickjaw to have this meeting.. It really can't be rescheduled." I put on my most convincing innocent and confused face.

It seemed to work. Dumbledore's face softened, and his face lost some of the anger and panic. He said, "Alright Harry, I will wait out here for you to discuss what I need to talk to you about."

I internally rolled my eyes. Like that tone would actually fool anyone! He seemed to think I knew nothing, which really ticked me off. But I had to play the lost and scared teenager, "Sounds good, Headmaster." And then, to get him less suspicious of the contents of my meeting, I said, "I think Brickjaw is just going to tell me how I can save my money until I am old enough to get a job. Because I don't have enough to last through my seventh year." I lied.

Dumbledore seemed convinced. He smiled benignly at me, and then walked over to a bench by the doors of the bank. I quickly walked off in the direction Brickjaw had headed. Whatever I learned in that meeting, I was sure that I would NOT want Dumbledore to know.

* * *

**So... I know a lot of you are probably super annoyed that I posted this a day late just so you could read a super short chapter. _BUT, _I felt like this was a good place to stop, because this next chapter is gonna be a LOT longer. I'm hoping to get it to 3,000 words. So that is the reason that this chapter is so short!**

**Review, and tell me what you think Dumbledore is so worried that Harry will find out? And what does he need to 'discuss' with Harry?! :) **

**I'm thinking that the next chapter will be up on Friday, February 6th, or Saturday the 7th! Thanks for reading, and I hope you guys are all enjoying it! :):)**


End file.
